Turning your mobile phone into a kind of laptop has become increasingly realistic, and Samsung DeX and Motorola's desktop mode (Ready For / Smart Connect) These are currently two of the most interesting options. If you own a compatible Samsung and Motorola phone, you're probably wondering which one is better for work, gaming, or simply experimenting with a large screen.
Over the past few years, both manufacturers have been improving their desktop experience: First with a wired connection, then adding wireless mode and even integration with WindowsHowever, their evolution has not been parallel: Samsung has even abandoned DeX for Windows in its latest models, while Motorola has opted for just the opposite, reinforcing its PC integration but neglecting, for now, the wired desktop in its most recent releases.
What exactly are Samsung DeX and Motorola Desktop Mode?
Before making comparisons, it's important to be clear about what we mean when we mention Samsung DeX and Motorola's desktop mode (Ready For, now integrated into Smart Connect)Both systems are based on the same idea: to leverage the power of the Android smartphone to display a computer-like interface on an external screen.
In practice, what you get is an environment where The applications run on resizable windowsYou have a desktop with shortcuts, a taskbar, and a notification system adapted to a monitor or TV. The goal is for you to be able to use a mouse and keyboard comfortably and for your mobile device to become a much more complete productivity or entertainment tool.
Over the last decade, Android phones have gone from being simple communication devices to true machines capable of complex tasks. The phrase that we carry a computer in our pocket is no longer just a cliché.These desktop modes aim to make that power available outside the phone's screen, especially for office work, advanced browsing, and some gaming.
Samsung and Motorola have followed similar paths but with important nuances. Both started by offering only wired connections (taking advantage of DisplayPort Alt-Mode over USB-C), they later added wireless compatibility via Miracast and then added Windows clients. Today the situation is uneven: Samsung has slowed down PC integration, while Motorola promotes it, but Motorola has fallen behind in wired desktop support in many of its more recent models.
Real-life experience: spending a week using your mobile phone as a computer
Trying out a desktop mode for a while is fine, but where you really see its potential (and shortcomings) is in use it for several days as an almost total replacement for the computerWith a high-end Galaxy S and Samsung DeX, it's perfectly possible to work for a whole week without opening your laptop, as long as your needs aren't too specific.
Current processors like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with 3nm lithography, multiple high-performance cores, and very powerful GPUs, allow that Office tasks, browsing with many tabs, and multimedia consumption They move smoothly. If you add 12 or 16 GB of RAM in the more powerful models, the bottleneck is no longer so much in the hardware as in the app ecosystem and the interface.
The way you work changes quite a bit when you connect your mobile phone to a monitor, plug in a Bluetooth keyboard and an ergonomic mouse, and forget about touching your laptop. Applications such as Chrome, alternative browsers, Telegram, Slack, or note-taking services They work quite naturally in windows, and allow you to keep several tools open at the same time, just like in Windows or macOS.
During a week of intensive use writing articles, researching on the web, taking notes, talking to the team via messaging, and streaming music, it was found that A modern smartphone can easily withstand a full day of "office" work.However, the device does get a bit warmer than usual, especially if it's charging while being used connected to a screen and other peripherals via a USB-C adapter with HDMI and USB.
The major limitation isn't so much performance, but specialized software. It's quite likely that You can't find the same professional program you use on your PC. For design, advanced video editing, or very specific work tools, there are alternatives on Android, but adapting to them involves a learning curve and, in some cases, giving up specific features that are only available on traditional desktop computers.
Even an entire article can be written using only the mobile phone in desktop mode, and the general feeling is that the system is already ready for students, basic office users, lightweight content creators, or those who want an "emergency computer" when traveling. Completely replacing a PC is not realistic for everyone yet.But as a second computer or portable solution, the proposal makes much more sense than it seemed a few years ago.
Availability and compatibility of Samsung DeX and Motorola desktop mode
One of the key aspects when choosing is knowing In which models of each brand is it available? desktop modeIn the case of Samsung, DeX has been on the market for several years and has spread to a good number of phones and tablets, especially in high-end ranges and some powerful mid-range models.
Among the Samsung models that have historically supported DeX are series like Galaxy S8, S9, S10, S20, S21, Note 8, Note 9, Note 10, Note 20as well as tablets like the Galaxy Tab S4, S5e, S6 or S7. Not all offer exactly the same features: on older devices, for example, wireless connectivity may not be available, or a specific dock is required to use DeX.
Motorola, for its part, arrived later with Ready For, which has subsequently been integrated into the Smart Connect ecosystem. Their list of compatible models is much shorterThis is especially true when compared to Samsung's track record, as this "Atrix-style" desktop was only recently relaunched. The brand had already experimented with a desktop environment a decade ago with the Motorola Atrix, but abandoned the concept for a while and has only recently revived it.
When Motorola launched Ready For, the number of compatible devices was small, although the brand made it clear that Their intention was to extend support to future generations.However, there is an important nuance: the latest Motorola devices presented this year no longer offer a wired desktop experience because they no longer incorporate DisplayPort Alt-Mode on the USB-C, despite still having wireless projection and PC integration features.
This makes the situation somewhat confusing for the average user: The brand name may be the same, but the actual capabilities change depending on the model and year.Meanwhile, Motorola phones that do support wired desktops are limited to Android 16 updates, so compatibility with that specific mode is uncertain for Android 17 and beyond.
Connection methods: wired, wireless, and PC use
Samsung DeX and Motorola's desktop mode pursue the same goal, but They don't offer exactly the same connection optionsThis is where Samsung, thanks to the time it has spent refining DeX, has gained an advantage in variety and flexibility of use.
On Samsung's side, DeX allows you to connect in several ways. On many models you can use a USB-C to HDMI cable directly From your phone to a monitor or TV, or using a dock that adds more ports (USB, Ethernet, etc.) for a more desktop-like experience. In more recent generations, the ability to use DeX wirelessly with Miracast-compatible TVs and monitors was added, provided both devices are on the same network.
In addition, Samsung offered the option for a time to Use DeX as an application within WindowsThis integration allowed the DeX desktop to appear in a window on the PC itself, using the computer's keyboard and mouse without needing to connect any additional peripherals to the phone. It was especially useful for quickly accessing phone apps, notifications, and files from a Windows environment without constantly switching screens.
Motorola, with Ready For and now Smart Connect, started with a much simpler approach: Initially, the only way to use desktop mode with a TV or monitor was via an HDMI to USB-C cableThe brand even included that cable in the box of some models, something Samsung doesn't usually do. Optionally, you can attach a dock to have more physical ports for a keyboard, mouse, or other accessories.
Over time, Motorola has especially strengthened the Integration of its desktop mode with Windows computersThis allows the mobile environment to be used quite comfortably from a PC, taking advantage of the computer's keyboard and mouse. Here, Motorola seems to have moved in the same direction as Samsung, which has eased off the gas pedal somewhat, giving more prominence to combined mobile-PC use.
The less positive aspect is that, as mentioned, newer Motorola models no longer offer a wired desktop experience due to the lack of DisplayPort Alt-Mode, raising questions about where the brand intends to take its desktop experience as Android 17 becomes more widespread. Currently, anyone wanting a wired desktop computer from Motorola depends on current models with limited support for certain versions of Android.while the wireless approach and PC integration do seem to have more continuity.
Motorola Smart Connect Interface and User Experience (Ready For)
At Motorola, the desktop experience feels a little different from the start. When you connect your phone to a screen, You don't go directly to the desktop, but to an initial hub with several options.This welcome panel displays four main access points: three are themed launchers and the fourth is the mobile desktop itself.
Pitchers are divided into TV (multimedia), Games and ChatThe first group includes all video and streaming apps, such as YouTube and Netflix; the second organizes video games; and the third brings together messaging and communication apps. In practice, they act as quick menus to access each app category and can be useful, for example, for those who will primarily use desktop mode for entertainment and gaming.
However, many users end up almost always going directly to the "classic" mobile desktopbecause that's where the real productivity experience lies: resizable windows, taskbar, quick access to settings and notifications, etc. The initial hub can be very convenient when you want to watch movies on the couch or quickly launch your games, but it can also be surprising if you want to get to work instantly and have to get through that selection screen first.
Motorola's desktop interface feels like a hybrid between an Android tablet and a Windows-like environment. The application launcher is usually placed on the left.with icons for quick access, while on the right there are shortcuts to notification panels, system controls, and various settings. taskbar and the windows give a fairly familiar feel to the PC user.
Regarding applications, Motorola allows you to use most of them in resizable windows that can be switched from full screen to reduced size Without too many problems. However, not all Android apps are designed to perform well on this type of desktop: some resist resizing, appear too large, or freeze at certain aspect ratios. This isn't so much the fault of Motorola's desktop mode as it is of the apps' own adaptation to the format.
Another interesting feature is the management of the mobile screen while the desktop is active. With Motorola Smart Connect you can continue using the phone screen independentlywith its own apps open, while the mobile desktop runs on the external monitor with other applications. The only limitation is that the same app cannot run simultaneously in both places: if you open YouTube on the external desktop and it was already open on the mobile device, it will close in one of the two environments.
Regarding peripherals, Motorola allows you to use the phone itself as a trackpad and makeshift keyboard, but the reality is that To truly get the most out of the system, a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard are almost essential.or with a dock that allows you to connect accessories via USB. The feeling of using a "real computer" comes as soon as you rest your hands on a physical keyboard and start moving with a mouse, but that comfort requires some extra investment in accessories.
Samsung DeX interface and user experience
On Samsung's side, the approach is somewhat more straightforward. By connecting the phone to a compatible display or via a cable/dock, DeX jumps directly to the desktop without going through a previous hub of themed launchersFor many users who just want to work, this is a welcome addition, as it eliminates an intermediate step. For others, especially gamers, Motorola's game launcher might seem like a missing feature in DeX.
The Samsung DeX interface is clearly inspired by a Windows-style desktop with taskbar at the bottomThe app icons, system tray, clock, notification panel, and quick settings shortcut are all included. The menus on the right for managing notifications, volume, connection, etc., are quite simplified, making navigating the general settings more intuitive for those coming from a traditional PC.
As with Motorola, it's possible to use the phone's screen itself as a touchpad and keyboard in a pinch, but The most comfortable experience once again involves a dedicated keyboard and mouse.Alternatively, if you're using DeX integrated into Windows (on models and versions where this is still available), you can directly use your PC's keyboard and mouse without adding anything else.
Regarding the behavior of windowed applications, Samsung encounters the same structural limitations of Android as Motorola: Not all apps handle resizing or windowed mode well.DeX attempts to mitigate this problem by offering a dialog box when an app resists: the system asks if you want restart it in full-screen mode or in windowed mode, so you can force the desired behavior.
This little "trick" doesn't eliminate all the bugs, but it helps some initially uncooperative apps end up working reasonably well. Even so, when this message pops up and the app restarts, the experience feels less smooth and somewhat more artificial. The general feeling is that DeX gives you a bit more control over how apps look., at the cost of adding some occasional interruptions to the flow of use.
Just like on Motorola, on Samsung DeX you can also... simultaneously use the phone screen and the external desktopThis involves using different apps in each environment, but without duplicating the same application in both simultaneously. This way of working can be very useful, for example, for having music, home automation controls, or quick messaging on your mobile phone, while using the external monitor exclusively for writing, research, or gaming.
Where DeX made a significant difference for quite some time was in its integration with Windows: have all of DeX running in a window on your own PC It significantly changes the actual usefulness of desktop mode. While it's not yet possible to replace an entire PC with DeX, using it within Windows allows you to always have your mobile apps at hand, drag and drop files, reply to messages, and manage notifications without looking up from the monitor or constantly unlocking your phone.
Main advantages and disadvantages of each system
If we compare Samsung DeX and Motorola's desktop mode side by side, it's clear that both are mature and useful products, but also that They are not at the same level in all areasEach one has strengths that can be decisive depending on the type of user.
In the case of Motorola, one of its great strengths is that in many models The box includes the necessary HDMI to USB-C cable. to maximize your desktop experience on an external screen. This lowers the barrier to entry: simply connect your phone to your TV or monitor and you're good to go, without needing to buy any additional accessories. Furthermore, the hub with TV, Games, and Chat launchers provides extra convenience for those who primarily use the system for entertainment.
Another advantage of Motorola is that the Input latency with keyboard, mouse or controller in video games is very lowOffering a very stable experience, provided the connection is made via cable. The desktop interface is clear, windows generally behave well, and the ability to use the mobile device and the external screen with different apps simultaneously adds versatility to the overall setup.
On the other hand, Motorola has several limitations. The most obvious is that It does not offer DeX-style wireless connectivity in many classic desktop scenarios.This is something that Samsung has indeed established in recent years. However, its desktop cannot be used as an application within Windows in exactly the same way on all models, which limits the options for those who want complete control from their PC.
On Samsung's side, the list of pros begins with the wide variety of connection options: wired, wireless and, depending on the model, integration with WindowsThis flexibility is key to adapting DeX to different contexts: presentations, office work, remote work, gaming sessions, or sharing your mobile device in the living room. It also maintains good responsiveness in games and while typing, without annoying lag with a keyboard or controller.
The downside is that, unlike Motorola, Samsung does not usually include the HDMI to USB-C cable as standard. This is necessary to use DeX on a monitor or TV. This forces the user to purchase an additional accessory (or a complete dock) if they want a wired connection. And, as is the case with Motorola, not all applications readily accept windowed mode, which can lead to somewhat inconsistent behavior depending on the app you're using.
In any case, both Samsung DeX and Motorola's desktop mode Today they offer a polished enough experience to become very serious work and entertainment tools. for the right user. They don't yet replace a full PC for demanding or very specific tasks, but they can cover most everyday uses and offer a very powerful "plan B" when you're away from home or don't want to carry a laptop.
Looking at the feature set, availability, connectivity options, and software maturity, it's clear that Samsung has made better use of its time to offer more options and a broader DeX ecosystem, while Motorola has taken important steps but still has a long way to go. consolidate your desktop strategyespecially regarding wired support and future evolution with upcoming Android versions.
